We had the good fortune of connecting with Alicia Pulpan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alicia, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
The amount of failure you can experience at any time. Working with nature is always a guessing game. You can have a perfect plan and everything ready and nature will throw you a curveball. It can be a sudden change in temperature, a burst of pest/disease problems or soil imbalances that will impact a good portion of your harvest. You have to be flexible and ready for anything at a moments notice. Growing food is a huge risk but a delicious reward!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have always loved gardens, growing up in Northern California my great grandmother had some of the prettiest flowers and roses and Ive always dreamed of having a house full of flowers since then. Farmers markets, orchards, and pick your own farms were plentiful and seeing all of the delicious produce and meeting the people that grew it was pure magic as a kid. My husband grew up on a farm in the panhandle of Texas so his passion and knowledge for farming was deeply ingrained in him. When I finally started to garden in my 20’s it became something I knew I couldn’t live without. It was also a necessity to help stretch our groceries when money was tight. They were small backyard gardens and vegetable patches but I knew somehow I would eventually get to do more.

When my husband and I bought our land we agreed we were going to build something we can share with others. This land was bare with heavy clay soil and wasn’t given much love in many years. After studying ways to create a garden from scratch I came across the “Back to Eden” no till method of gardening and something shifted. The first year we tried the layering and with dismal success had to go back to the drawing board because this clay soil was so compacted. So we did the big no-no and tilled the areas layered them and prayed that it would help and the next year was a success! The amount of things we have had to redo or improve during this constant learning adventure can become discouraging but the results are always bigger and better than we hope! After 10 years of owning our property we have learned how to work the soil and have built a relationship with the land.
Growing no matter the scale is a lifelong process of learning and the variables are always changing. We focus on the relationship we have with our land and the food we grow and the people we feed, we don’t add anything that nature wouldn’t provide and we take great pride in growing things are are good for your body and your soul. Those simple details that you can see and taste are the reason we keep growing!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Thats a tough one, there are so many places to go. I am definitely a homebody but I would take my friends around to visit many of the small businesses around town. We have such a variety of great local businesses and places to eat in every corner. Might just spend the days going to different areas of town and discovering all the small places around. My top three to take them to would have to be Archies Gardenland, cause plants! Heim Barbecue, cause Texas and BBQ are a must! Fort Worth Botanic Gardens because more plantsand beautiful garden spaces!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband, who has been by my side helping build and create the garden spaces and has always given me encouragement when everything seems to go sideways. The support you have given me to chase my dreams is unmeasurable. My children, watching you grow along with the time we have spent in the gardens will always be etched in my heart. My friends, your support and enthusiasm for whatever we are creating is unmatched especially when the term “Do it” is part of the conversation. Of course all of my customers, thank you for trusting me to feed your family and supporting my work. Without all of y’all it would still be a “crazy” idea in the back of my head!

Instagram: instagram.com/underthewirefarm

Facebook: facebook.com/UndertheWireFarm

Image Credits
Avery Allison

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.